Steam accumulator plant



June 8 1926.

STEAM ACCUMULATOR PLANT Filed April 18, 1925 25 m i 15a Fig. 2

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J'OHANNES RUTHS, 0F DJUBSHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR T0 AK'IIEBQLAGE'E VAPOR- ACKUM'U'LATOR, OF STOOKHOLM, SWEDEN, A CORPORATION. OF SWEDEN.

' STEAM ACCUMULATOR PLANT.

Application filed April 18, 1925. Serial No. 24,144.

My invention relates to steam accumulator plants and provides means to conduct steam from a steam chamber, both to an accumulator and to low pressure conduit, while the pressure in the chamber is sometimes the same as the accumulator pressure and at other times the same as that in the low pressure conduit. The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1- shows an arrangement according to my invention 1ncluding a reducing valve and a check valve working in parallel and Figure 2 shows an arrangement where the check valve and reducing valve are combined into a single valve.

In Figure 1, 10 represents a steam chamber, for example, an extraction chamber between stages of a motor. Chamber 10 is supplied with steam in any desired manner. 11 represents an accumulator connected in parallel to conduit 12. represents a low pressure conduit supplying steam to a consumer 14c. Conduits 12- and 13 combine to form 'a conduit adapted to supply steam from the accumulator 11 to the low pressure consumer 14. In the conduit 12 are a reducing valve 15, which may be of any desired construction and operates in known manner to increase the area of steam flow through the same upon decrease of actuating pressure and a valve 16 which may be of any type and which controls the flow of steam to the low pressure conduit. Valve 15 is set to open at a given value of pressure which is somewhat below the normal working value of pressure in chamber 10 and low pressure conduit 13. Check valve 17 1n conduits 18 arranged parallel to reducing valve 15 operates to allow flow in direction toward the accumulator, but prevents flow from the. same to the consumer. Pipe 19' connects chamber 10 with conduit 12 be tween valves 15 and 16, and between check valve 17 and valve 16.

Steam of any variableor constant rate depending on the particular plant passes from chamber 10 through pipe 19 and either to consumer 14 or accumulator 11 or to both depending upon the relative steam consumption and steam supply/If the supply of steam from chamber 10 is greater than that the valves 15 and 16 until a greater pressure prevails in the accumulator than in pipe 19, at which time check valve 17 will'close', and the pressure in pipe 19 will fall to substantially the pressure of the low pressure conduit 13.- If the supply of steam through pipe 19 is less than what is needed by the low pressure consumers, the pressure decreases so low that valve15 opens, and allows steam to pass from the accumulator through conduit12 and into conduit 13 to the low pressure consumer 14. Thus when the accumulator discharges the pressure in chamber 10 is substantially equal to the pressure in low pressure'conduit 13, although a higher pressure prevails in the accumulator. As the amount of steam supplied from chamber 10 again increases at a rate faster than the low pressure consumption, valve 15 first closes, and then valve 16 must be decreased in flow area and becomes the controlling element for the passage of steam to the 10W pressure conduit, and when the pressure in chamber 10 has risen to a small increment above the accumulator pressure, check valve 17 opens and steam l'lowsto the accumulator.

By means .of this arrangement the conduit 18 can be of inconsequential length,-

wherefore pipe 12 serves both to conduct steam to the accumulator from chamber 10 and from the accumulator to the low pressure consumers, thereby simplifying the plant considerably in cases where the accumulator is at a considerable distance from the chamber 10.

Figure 2 shows an arrangement where the check valve and reducing valve 15 are combined into a single valve 15 and the manually controlled valve 16 of Fig. 1 is replaced by a reducing valve 16 which operates in known manner to maintain a constant pressure behind the same. Valve 15 is controlled by piston 20 moving in cylinder 21 and acted upon by spring 22. Fluid under pressure is supplied to chamber 24: through pipe 25 in which is a restriction 23 and which has an opening 26 therein through which the pressure fluid can flow out and which opening is controlled b a battling member 27 This bafliing mem er 27 is attached to an arm 28 rotatable about afixed pivot 29 and acted on by spring 30.

Pressure on the accumulator side of valve 15 is transmitted through tube 42 to chamber 31 between bellows 32 and diaphragm 33, and pressure on the consumer side of valve 15 is transmitted through tube 43 to chamber 34 between bellows 35, and diaphragm 33. The two bellows and the diaphragm 33 are connected as indicated at 36.

Diaphragm 33 is moved in accordance with the difference of pressures on the two sides of the valve 15, and this movement is transferred to lever 28 by means of rod 37 which is made of two parts loosely abutting each other. This mechanism takes the place of the check valve.

Diaphragm 38 is acted upon by pressure in chamber 39 transmitted through tube 40 from the consumer side of-valve 15, and movement of diaphragm 38 is transmitted to lever 28 by means of bracket 41, the right hand end of which partially encircles rod 37 but does not touch the same except that when moved a given distance to the left it is adapted to contact an abutment M on rod 37.

The operation of the arrangement is as follows When the pressure on the consumer side of valve 15 is greater than onthe accumulator side, this bein r the condition when there is-a surplus supply of steam from chamber 10 over the momentary consumption in the low pressure line, diaphragm 33 is moved to the left as shown in the figure, whereby lever 28 is rotated above pivot 29 and baffi ing member 27 checks the outflow of fluid through opening 26, whereby pressure is built up in conduit 25 and consequently in chamber 24 and piston 20 is moved against the action of spring 22 to the right as shown in the figure, whereby valve 15 is opened more or less to allow fiow of the surplus steam into the accumulator.

'Now if the pressure on the consumer side of valve 15 drops, due to increased consumption over supply, the pressure in chamber 31 predominates over the pressure in chamber 34 and diaphragm 33 is moved to the right thereby allowing lever 28 to be moved under the action of spring 30 to increase the opening in conduit 25, so that more fluid flows out, and the pressure in chamber 24 is thereby reduced so that piston 20 moves to the left and valve 15" is closed. Upon further decrease of pressure-below that at which reducing valve 16 is completely open, diaphragm 38 1s flexed so far to the left due to the decrease of pressure transmitted through tube 40 that the right hand end of bracket 11 contacts abutment is, moving the same to the left and checking the outflow through opening 26, so that piston 20 is moved to the right andvalve 15 opened.

This mechanism then operates in the same manner as reducingvalve 15 of Figure 1. The action of diaphragm 38 and associated parts in opening valve 15 is independent of the action of the diaphragm 33 and'associ- 'ated. parts since when bracket 41 contacts and moves abutment 44 to the left, the two parts of rod 37 separate and movement of diaphragm 33 has no effect on the regulation.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. In a steam plant, in combination, a steam chamber, a low pressure consumer, an accumulator, a conduit adapted to conduct steam both in direction from said accumulator toward said consumer and in direction from said consumer to said accumulator, a valve in said conduit operated by the pressure on the consumer side of the same, a second valve in said conduit to control flow of steam-to said consumer, a pipe the pressure in said chamber exceeds the pressure in the accumulator.

2. In a steam plant, in combination, a steam chamber, an accumulator, a consumer, a single conduit adapted to conduct steam from said accumulator toward said consumer and in direction from said. consumer to said accumulator, a. valve in said conduit, a pipe extending from said chamber to said conduit at a point on the consumer side of said valve, mechanism to actuate said valve responsive to difference ofpressure in the conduit on the two sides of the valve and o eratinv to allow flow of steam to the accumu lator when the pressure in said chamber exceeds the pressure in said accumulator and a second mechanism to actuate said valve responsi e to pressure on the consumer side of said valve and operatin toallow flow of steam from accumulator, a conduit connecting said accumulator with said consumer, a pipe connectmg sa1d chamber with said conduit,

pipe toward said accumulator and from said accumulator toward said point of connection 5 so that when steam pressure in said chamber is higher than in said accumulator, steam flows from said chamber through sald conduit to said accumulator and when steam pressure in said chamber falls below a predetermined value, steam fiows from said ac- 10 cumulator through said conduit to said consumer. i

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. I

JOHANN RUTH S. 

